Primary Navigation Menu

American History » World War I

World War I

WWI Web Sites

Newspaper Pictorials: World War I Rotogravures
The three titles digitized for “Newspaper Pictorials: World War I Rotogravures” by the Library of Congress represent diverse pictorials published in Sunday pictorial sections by two of the most prominent U.S. newspapers of the day: the New York Times and New York Tribune. The images in this collection track American sentiment about the war in Europe, week by week, before and after U.S. involvement. They document events of the war alongside society news and advertisements touting products of the day, creating a pictorial record of both the war effort and life at home. An excellent research site.

The Price of Freedom: Americans at War
This Smithsonian website skillfully integrates Flash video and text to examine armed conflicts involving the U.S. from the Revolutionary War to the war in Iraq. Each conflict contains a brief video clip, statistical information, and a set of artifacts. There is also a Civil War mystery, an exhibition self-guide, and a teacher’s guide. The World War I section contains a short essay on the conflict as well as historic images and artifacts.

American Leaders Speak (Library of Congress)
This LOC site has 59 brief sound recordings of speeches by American leaders from 1918 to 1920. The speeches focus on issues and events surrounding the First World War and the subsequent presidential election of 1920.

Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides, Activities and more

Lesson Plan: U.S. Entry into WWI
Presented by MarcoPolo, this lesson plan is for high school students. Students will examine the events and factors that led to U.S. participation in the war. The lesson plan provides some resources and several guiding questions for students to follow.

Lesson Plan – The Great War: Evaluating the Treaty of Versailles
Designed by MarcoPolo, this lesson plan come with an ample supply of resources and documents. Students are asked to analyze the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and then analyze the German response. The lesson plan includes a copy of the treaty and Hitler’s 1923 response. This is a High school level lesson plan.

Teacher’s Guide: Lost Peace
Investigate the intersection of isolationism, fascism, and the establishment of the League of Nations at the close of World War I. From PBS People’s Century.